Fluid pressure pump



J. B. MEYER FLUID PRESSURE PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 17, 1945 Joseph B.Meye? INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Get. 29, 1946. MEYER 2,410,354

FLUID .PRESSURE PUMP Filed, Feb. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Get. 29, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE-I1.

Joseph B. Meyer, Kenosha, Wis. Application February 17, 1945, Serial No. 578.442

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to water lift pumps of the non-piston type primarily for use as a source of supply in domestic water systems.

Pumps of the character mentioned commonly include a pair of gravity-fed water-receiving chambers adapted to be submerged beneath the water level in a Well and from which the water is elevated by application of fluid pressure to the chambers alternately.

As heretofore designed, such pumps are necessarily of a size to render them incapable of use in narrow wells of a few inches or less in diameter. The valve means commonly employed for controlling the application of fluid pressure to the chambers is usually operated or controlled by float-actuated connections extending from within the chambers and necessitating the use of a float in each chamber of a size to insure reliable operation. Each float must be capable of producing a buoyant force of sufiicient magnitude not only to operate the valve means but also to sustain the weight of the operating connections and to overcome the frictional resistance of the packing glands through which the connections extend. in most instances it is the size of the floats required for reliable operation that imposes a limit beyond which the pump size cannot be reduced.

One object of the present invention is to provide a pump of the character mentioned capable of reliable use in wells narrower than was heretofore possible.

Other more specific objects and advantages will appear, expressed or implied, from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a fluid pressure pump constructed in accordance with the present invention, this section being taken substantially along the line I-I of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view on a larger scale.

Fig. 4 is a horizonta1 sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a. view similar to Fig. 1 with the parts rearranged to facilitate explanation.

The pump selected for illustration comprises a cylinder I0 adapted to be lowered into a narrow well II below the water level therein. A central vertical partition I2 divides the interior of the I5 and It includes a suitable check valve II for preventing discharge therethrough. I 7

Two discharge pipes I3 and I9 communicate with the bottoms of the chambers I3 and I4, respectively. In this instance both pipes I3 and I9 extend upwardly through the upper end head 23 of the cylinder I0 and communicate with a single discharge pipe 2I controlled by a conventional faucet 22. An outwardly opening check valve 23 in each pipe I8 and I9 determines the direction of flow therethrough.

Provision is made for supplying air or other elastic fluid under pressure to the upper ends of the chambers l3 and I4 alternately in a manner to force water from each while the other is filling. In the pump shown this is accomplished by the use of a valve 24 arranged to receive pressure fluid from a suitable pressure tank 25 through a pipe 26 and operable to direct the fluid to the chambers I3 and I4, alternately, through pipes 2'5 and 28, respectively, which communicate therewith through the end head 26. Although various forms of valves may be used, that shown at 24 is a rotary four-way valve of a well -.i known type equipped with the usual discharge port not shown.

In this instance the valve 24 is actuated and controlled by two fluid actuated pistons 29 and 38 operatively engaged with the opposite ends of a rocker arm 3| carried by the valve 24 for actuating the latter. The pistons 29 and 39 are closely fitted for vertical reciprocation in cylinders 32 and 33, respectively, each of which is supported by and communicates with'a pipe 34 or 35 that extends vertically through one of the,

chambers l3 or 14 to a point adjacent the bottom thereof. The pipes 34 and 35 function to transmit pressure from the chambers I3 and I4, respectively, to the cylinders 32 and 33 to thereby actuate the pistons 29 and 30, alternately, and

thereby oscillate the valve 24 from one position to the other.

35 is rendered responsive to the water level in the chambers I3 and I4. For this purpose each pipe is controlled by a float controlled valve 36 or 31 coacting with the lower end thereof. Each valve 36 or 3'! i shown arranged beneath one of the pipes 34 and 35 and supported by a float 38 or 39 through a suitable stirrup 40 or 4! extending loosely through and guided by a disk 42 or. 43 carried by one of the pipes. The arrangement is such that with either of the chambers I3 or I4 filled with water the float controlled valve 36 or 31 in that chamber is retained in elevated position to close the lower end of the pipe 34 or 35 in that chamber; but when the water level in that chamber falls to a predetermined point, the valve in that chamber opens and exposes its associated piston 29 or 3D to the pressure in that chamber, whereupon the valve 24 is actuated.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the valve 241s actuated by fluid pressure derived from the tanl; 25, and that the only function of the floats 38 and 391is to control the relatively small and light weight valves 36 and 31. It will also be noted that, as a result of this arrangement, very narrow floats will function satisfactorily, and that the chambers l3 and 14 may also be of very narrow form.

Each of the pipes 34 and 35 is preferably carried by a plug 44 removably fixed in the end head 20 of the cylinder Hi, the lugs 44 occupying opening of a size to permit withdrawal of the pipes 34 and 35 and the parts carried thereby in order to afford ready access thereto for inspection, replacement, or repair.

Fig. illustrates the position of the several parts immediately after'the valve has been shifted to direct fluid pressure from the pressure tank 25 through the pipe 21 to the top of the water filled chamber l3. With the faucet 22 closed however there is no discharge of water from chamber 13 through the pipe I8. With the valve 24 thus shifted the air or elastic fluid in the top of the other chamber I4 is free to escape through the pipe 28 so that water is free'to flow by gravity into the chamber it from the surrounding well until the chamber M is filled. The fioat controlled valve 31 is shown in open position, but it'eventually closes as the water level in the chamber rises.

When the faucet 22 is opened, the fluid pressure in the top of the chamber l3 forces water therefrom through the pipes I8 and 2| to and through the faucet until the water level in the chamber [3 lowers to a point where the float controlled valve 36 opens, whereupon the pressure .in the chamber i3, transmitted through the pipe 34, acts upon the piston 24 and thereby shifts the valve 24 to direct fluid pressure through pipe 28 to the top of the other chamber [4 and to open the top of chamber 13 to exhaust through the pipe 27. When this occurs, water at once discharges from the then filled chamber M through the pipes 19 and 2| to and through the faucet 22, and the chamber l3 again fills with water upplied by gravity from the well. Thereafter, the water continues to discharge through the pipe I9 until, the faucet 22 is closed or until the float controlled valve' 31 is reopened by the falling water level in the chamber 14, whereupon the valve 24 is shifted by the piston 30 into the position first described to again supply fluid pressure to the chamber 13 and to begin anew the cycle of operation just described.

The two chambers 13 and M thus function alternately to maintain a substantially continuous discharge of water through the faucet 22 until the faucet is closed, and to automatically renew that discharge whenever the faucet is reopened.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention hereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificing the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

In a pump of the character described the combination of a narrow elongated container divided to form two separate gravity filled chamhers, discharge means for said chambers extending upwardly through said container, valve means operable to admit fluid pressure to said chambers alternatively, a removable closure member for the top of each chamber, a, fluid pressure conductor extending into each of said chambers and supported by said closure member thereof, a float controlled valve carried by the lower end of each of'said conductors, and means actuated through said conductors for actuating said first named valve means, each of said conductors and associated float controlled valve being removable, as a unit, from a chamber upon removal of its supporting closure member.

JOSEPH B. MEYER. 

